Two new previews from the traveling flaneur
This Beautiful Land
Flaneur in the City
This Beautiful Land and Flaneur in the City
Magnificent Yosemite
I enjoyed my trip to the 32nd Annual Vintner’s Holiday at the gorgeous Ahwahnee Hotel where the focus is on fine wines and Californian’s in the know. Still, I was not deterred from hitting the trails and drinking in the magnificent scenery and profound quiet of the forests of Yosemite. Meeting Hitching Post owner/chef Frank Ostini and his partner (and former fisherman) Gray Hartley, hearing the wonderful stories of their alchemical adventures in wine making was definitely a highlight of my trip. I’m a sucker for a good tale and these two are great storytellers. Hoping they will come down to Austin sooner than later and bring some 2002 Highliner with them. Enjoy the gallery of snapshots from the gorgeous golden state. Thanks so much, John Muir, for your stewardship and devotion to Yosemite.
Come to the woods, for here is rest. There is no repose like that of the green deep woods. Here grow the wallflower and the violet. The squirrel will come and sit upon your knee, the logcock will wake you in the morning. Sleep in forgetfulness of all ill. Of all the upness accessible to mortals, there is no upness comparable to the mountains.
– John of the Mountains: The Unpublished Journals of John Muir, (1938), page 235.
Barton Creek flowing into Twin Falls
Fall in the Barton Creek greenbelt brings out the butterflies and the Autumn flowers. While there are not as many cypress at Gus Fruh park, the clatter of the sycamore and cottonwood leaves lends an ambient aural texture to a sunny, cool South Austin saunter.
I miss the clouds of monarch butterflies wafting over campus, Ladybird Lake and my back yard, but the few brave travelers I saw this October made me realize how each one was unique. Some were jaunty, dancing their way south, others seemed very determined and bent on reaching their goal, some had torn wings , a few that flitted merrily through sprinklers. But they need milkweed, so please consider buying seeds or seedlings to help them in their long trip from Mexico to Canada and back.
What a relief to see and hear the rushing water of Barton Creek. It’s been a long parched summer but autumn in Texas is truly something worth celebrating.
Spring in June at McKinney Falls
After two preoccupying years of of remodeling, searching for a new home and moving, I am now where I belong. I have arrived in my studio above the fields. So on this spring day in June, I took off to McKinney Falls state park to saunter. Soon, my mind will throw out the net to see what’s next. Let the dance of summer begin.
Enchanted Rock, post number 100
An auspicious beginning to my 58th year: my 100th post from Fredericksburg and Enchanted Rock. Kudos to Lisa and Claude Saunders, who offered a perfect combination of impeccable service, good taste and genuine friendliness. A great breakfast got me off to a good start on my hike to the top of our big granite dome, the Enchanted Rock batholith. I include only one wild flower photo this time as the season is early and there are more to come. And more rocks to climb.
A fine line between 57 and 58
I’m in the Texas hill country celebrating my birthday and enjoying spring in Fredericksburg. On a whim I stopped to say hello to some exotic animals at the Exotic Resort Zoo, then rolled into Fredericksburg to enjoy a hearty German meal at Friedhelms Bavarian Restaurant. Delicious! The Magnolia House Bed and Breakfast gave me shelter for the night in a lovely, quiet home exuding small town charm. I’ll have more to say about my stay after breakfast tomorrow. Off to Enchanted Rock in the morning when I awake to greet 58 with many wonders to look forward to.
Circle of Life
Tibetan Mandala – Life is Prayer
As Above so Below
Creation – Destruction – Renewal
Russet Friday at Hamilton Pool
I thought heading out to Hamilton Pool just West of Austin would be a good way to avoid the Black Friday crowds. Apparently I was not the only person with this bright idea. While the surprising swarm of international park visitors undercut my commune with nature, it was still a cool, beautiful walk through the flaming cypress trees down to the Pedernales River. Imagine the smell of cypress, a rich, woodsy perfume underfoot and wafting through the trees. It’s a hilly trail so bring water and be prepared for a good hike.
Sacred Springs Pow Wow in San Marcos
Lucky and Becky Tomblin started the Sacred Springs Pow Wow 16 years ago to bless the San Marcos River community and pay tribute to the Native People who lived on its banks. This year they were honored by American Indians from Texas, Oklahoma and California who prayed and gave thanks for family and friends by dancing in the great circle of life. Spirit touched all who gathered in peace and in love. Aho-Amen.
Taos Pueblo
I timed my visit to New Mexico so I could catch the Taos Pueblo Pow Wow. Asking for permission to take photos in advance was not fruitful so I only have one photo of the parking crew hamming it up. The visit to the Pueblo was more peaceful, with villagers living in traditional homes that are handed down within families for generations. The stream shown below provides water for drinking and washing as it has for hundreds of years. A somber tribute remains in the crumbling cemetery filled with graves of women and children massacred by US cavalry soldiers in the old church, now in ruins. The village honors the souls of their martyrs twice during the year, otherwise the site is sacrosanct. On this more peaceful day we watched a procession of elders giving thanks for the Catholic Church’s canonizing of Kateri Tekakwitha as the first Native American woman saint.
The Millicent Rogers Museum presented a lovely collection of native pottery, jewelery and paintings. The legend of Tony and Mabel Dodge Luhan, Georgia O’Keefe, Dorothy Brett and DH and Frieda Lawrence lives on in Taos.
